Henry guy carleton



no. 608,320. Patented Aug. 2, |893. HENRY GUY cARLEToN.

ELECTRIC CNIBINATIN LOCK.

(Application filed Apr.' 4, 189B.)

(N0-Mom.) 2 sheets-sheet l.

1 Fig. 2 Figa me Nonms pawns cc, vnoaumo.. whsumcrcm. u. c.

No. 608,320. PatentedvAug. 2, |898,

HENRY GUY CARLETON.

ELECTRIC COMBINATION LOCK.

(Application led Apr. 4, 1898.)

v 2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

W/TNESSES A TTOHNE YS.

1H: uonms ruins ce, Puofmu'mo., wnsnmorom uc UNITED l STATES PATENT @amica HENRY GUY oARLEToN, ou NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC" COMBINATION-LOCK.

srEoIFIcATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,320, dated August 2, 1898.

i Application filed April 4, 1898. Serial No. 676,303. (No model.)

To all whom tm/ay concern.-

Beit known that I, HENRY GUY CARLETON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county'of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Combination- Locks, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in controlling devices for electric locks, and is an improvement upon theinvention shown, described, and claimed in the application, Serial No.- (551,016, jfiled September 9, 1897.

The object of this invention is to reduce the number of operating parts in the apparatus referred to, whereby the apparatus is not only rendered much cheaperin construction,

but it is simplified, rendered more certain i-n; operation; and the liability of the parts to get.l

out of order is reduced toa minimum.

The invention consists in certain parts, improvements, and combinations hereinafter described, and more specifically pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, which constitute a part of this speciiioation, Figure l is a vertical section of the circuit-controlling portion of the apparatus, the same being shown as located in the woodwork of a door or elsewhere. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig.' 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of; Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is afsectional view showing the circuit-controlling disks and the contacts coperatin g therewith,the section being taken on the plane indicated by the line 4.4. in Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a vertical'central section.

.Figs. 6 and 7 are details of the circuit-controlling disk` Fig. 8 is a diagram of the circuits employed, the' lock mechanism being also shown therein and the Various parts being arranged so that the bolt is retracted. Fig. 9 is a diagram vvsimilar to Fig. 8, but showing the parts arranged'so that the bolt vcannot be retracted and the circuit being sent through the alarm. f f

A indicatesa casing, which may be set in a door or located at any convenient point so as to be electrically connected with the lock mechanism hereinafter referred to. Mounted in the casing A are two spindles ot a. In-

asm uch as these spindles are similar and inasmuch as the parts carried by them are similar in construction and operation a descriptionV of one of them will sufiice for both.

' The spindles a are operated by iinger-knobs a or in any'other suitable manner. Loosely mounted on each of the spindles ct is a notched disk o, this disk being secured to the spindle so as to turn therewith through the medium of the arm and pin hereinafter described. This disk c serves to set the combination, as hereinafter described. cated herein by the numeral O) and a series of It has a deep notch (indishallow notches, in the apparatus illustrated in the drawings iifteen in number and indicated by the numerals 1 to 15. Each of the disks is also provided with a series of holes c', one for each ofthe notches referred to. Each of the spindles is provided with an arm d, and the disks c, before referred to, are connected to the arm by means of a suitable pin or screw d', entering one of the series of holes c inthe disks before referred to. By causing the pin to enter various ones of the holes referred to the position of the several notches in the disk may be varied with respect to the spindle and also with respect to the parts fixed on the spindle, as will be readily understood.

Suit-ably mounted, preferably in the casing A, in position to engage the notches in the disks c are two spring-detents e. In the apparatus described these detent-s are mounted ina right-angled loop f,and a spring g,located l of sufficient strength so that as the wheel c is turned by the finger-knob d through the medium of the spindle ct the click which ocrily, circular in outline or of disk-like form. The insulating-section b has located therein IOO a conducting wire or bar b3, which extends through the body of the disk from side to side thereof. The entire circumferential su rface of the section b, with the exception of the conducting wire or bar b3, before referred to, is therefore composed of non-conducting o1' insulating material. The section Ul is also preferably, though not necessarily,circular in outline, and it has an insulating-section bl in one portion of its perimeter. The two sections are preferably constructed as indicated in Fig. (l, wherein the coiulucting-seetion b2 is shown as provided with ahub l1, upon which the insulating or non-conducting section ZJ is mounted, and the non-conducting section Z1 of the perimeter of the disk l1? is formed by a projecting portion of the disk b. This construction, however, while a simple and desirable one, is not a necessary one, as these parts may be oi' any suitable form and may be entirely independent of each other and assembled in any suitable manner.

Located within the casing A is a block of insulating material C. Mounted upon this block are a series of contacts D, D, D2, and E. The contact E is provided at each of its ends with a pair of prongs 2O 2l. These contacts are so arranged that the contact D bears upon the perimeters of the conducting-wheels lf2, before referred to, and the contacts D' D2 bear upon the non-conducting or insulating wheels li, before referred to. The contact ll is so arranged that its prongs 20 bear upon the non-conducting wheels b and its prongs 21 bear upon the coiulucting-wheels b2.

The circuits controlled by the circuit-controllers before referred to are indicated, diagrammatically, in Figs. 8 and 9. The contacts D D2 are the terminals of a circuit 40 4l, which includes thelock mechanism, hereinafter described, and also any suitable source of electrical energy, herein indicated as a battery. This circuit also includes a circuitcloser of any suitable construction, the same being conventionally indicated at F. A second or branch circuit 30 has one of its terminals connected to the spindle of the upper circuit-controller and is connected at any suitable pointto the circuitlOM. Thisbranch circuit includes a bell or other suitable alarm.

lt will be understood that the contact l) forms one terminal of the branch circuit including the bell, the other terminal of that circuit being in one of the comlucting-disks of one ofthe circuit-controllers, herein shown as the upper one. The contacts D D Dgand the insulating-sections bl of the conductingdisks b2 are so constructed and arranged with reference to the ends of the wires or bars if* that when the contacts D D2 are brought into contact with and rest against the ends of the bars b3 the ends of the contact D rest on the insulating-sections, and the alarm-circuit is therefore broken. lf, however, one or the otherof the circui tcontrollers is so positioned that its bar if is not in electrical connection with either of the contacts D D2, that end of the contact D which extends to thccircuitcontrollers so positioned will rest upon the coinlucting-section of the disk b2 of the said controller. The circuit through the alarm will consequently be made so far as the combination mechanism is concerned, and when the circuit-closer is operated the alarm will be sounded.

The construction of the latch-controlling devices herein shown is the same as that illustrated in my application, Serial No. 653,057, filed October l, 1897, and need not be here specifically described further than to state that the bolt or latch U0 carries an armature (il, which lies in the magnetic Iicld of a suitable magnet (32. A spring G8, working bctween a shoulder (it and a suitable guide (55, in which the bolt slides, holds the bolt in engagement with its keeper. (Not shown.) The magnet G2 is mounted ina suitable frame GG, which is held in its forward position by means of springs 07, working between guides GS, attached to the lock-casing, and the upper or inner part of the magnet-frame.

rlhe frame GG is retracted by means of a tumbler-cam Gf), operated by a suitable handle. (Not shown.) It is obvious that when the magnet G2 is energized it will attract its armature, and if the tumbler-cam be then operated to retract the frame in which the magnet is mounted and the magnet the armature 6l will be drawn back with the magnet and by its contact with the shoulder Glwill rctract the bolt from its keeper.

The operation of the construction so far dcscribed is as follows: The operator lirst brings each of the circuit-controllers to the startingpoint of the combination-that is, to the point where the detent c engages the deep notch O. lle then turns each of the circuit-controllers through the finger-piece l) to that point where the prongs 2O of the contact .E each engage one end of the conducting wire or bar Ui, before referred to, at which time the terminals D D2 ofthe circuit t0 il will engage the other ends of these comlucting-bars. lhe distance through which each of the controllers has to be turned in order to bring the contacts to this position is of course known tothe operator if heis in possession of the combination and will be indicated by the successive clicks of the detent as it drops into the successive notches in the circuit-controllers. Forinstance, if the combination be 5 for the upper wheel and S for the lower wheel the operator, having brought the upper wheel to that point where the detent engages the deep notch, will proceed to turn the notched disk to the right until the detent engages the notch numbered 5. At this time the upper wheel will bein such position that the contact D and the upper one of the prongs 2O of the contact E will engage the bar (lil. The lower wheel having been brought to the starting-point of the com bination is lthen turned in the same manner until the detent enters the notch numbered The lower wheel will be then properly set, and.

IOO

IlO

. as indicated in Fig. 9.

upon operating the4 circuitcloser Flthe cir# cuit will be made from the battery through the magnet 62 of the bolt-drawing mechanism,'wire 40, contact D, the bar b3 inthe upper wheel, the contact-plate E through prongs 20, the bar b3 in the lower wheel, the contact D2, and the wire t1 back to the battery. The circuit being so made the magnets 62 willbe energized, and on turning the tumbler 69, which is operated by a suitable knob,

( not shown,) the frame carrying the magnets, the magnets, and the armature 6l, carrying with it the bolt 64, will all be moved back and the door can be opened.y If,however, any unauthorized person attempts to open the lock, unless he is in possession of the precise combination he will cause the circuits to .be closed,

p In this figure the circuit is made from the battery through the bell or other alarm and to the spindle of the upper circuit-controller. This spindle is in electrical connectionwith the controller itself, because the section b2 thereof is made of conducting material. For any position of the upper wheel, therefore, except the one in which the combination is rightly set the upper end of the contact D will be in electrical connection with the conducting portion of the controller. If, therefore, the circuit-closer be operated with the upper wheel in any but the correct position, the alarm-circuit Willbe made directly through the conducting portion of the controller and through the contact D and the connections before described and the alarm will be sounded. If, however, the upper controller be correctly set and the lower controller be incorrectly set, the lockcircuit will be broken, because the contact D2 and the lower prong 2O of the contact E will be off the ends of the bar b3. If now the circuit-closer be operated,'the alarm-circuit will be made through the wire 30, the conducting portion b? of the upper controller, contact E through prongs 2l, the conductiug'portionlof the lower controller, the contact D to and through the alarm and back to the battery. Any attempt to operate the lock, therefore, by setting anything except the eX- act combination will result in the making of a circuit from thebatt-ery through the alarm, lthus sounding the alarm and givinganotification that the lock is being tampered with.

In order that the lock may not be removed by any person and the combination being tampered with in any way, the back part of the casing containing the combination is covered with a metallic-,plate G, Awhich is in electrical connection through ay suitable wire or Wires with the battery before referred to or with some other suitable source of electrical energy.v The casing of the combination is also suitably connected to the same source of electricalenergy, a suitable alarm being included in the circuit. The plate is secured to the casing bymeans of suitable screws H, having a cut-away portion I anda threaded portion K, which enters a suitablyftapped hole in the rear portion of the casing. The plate G and the rear plate of the casing are suitably insulated from each other by means of washers L or in any other suitable manner. An insulating-washer M is also located between the head of the screw and the plate G.

It is obvious that when the screws H,which connect the plate G to the rear plate of the casing, are driven home the tapped or large portion ofthe screw will be in electrical connection with the rear plate of the casing. The recessedportion of the screw, as shown in Figs. S and 9, will not touch the plate G, and the headthereof is prevented from coming in contact with the plate by the insulating-washer M. If any attempt is made, however, to remove the protecting-plate G, it is obvious that as soon as the tapped portion of the screw, which is longer than the distance between the two plates, reaches the plate G the circuit will be made through both the plates and the connecting-wire to the battery and will sound the alarm which is included in this circuit, giving notice of the fact that the lock is being tampered with.

In order to change the combination, the disks c are first brought to the point where the detents@ will engage the deep notches 0. The pin cl/ is then removed, disconnecting one of the arms d from its disk, and the arm is then swung around to the hole opposite the number which it is desired shall be one of the numbers of the combination. It is obvi-l ous that this movement of the arm will carry with it the spindle@J and the disks blpforming the circuit-controller B, hereinbefore referred to. The pin d is now inserted, thus locking the arm and disk together. The same operation is then performed with the other disk., It is obvious that 4when the notches which are opposite the holes in which the pins d now are are swung under the detents the circuit-controllers will be in such a positionv rthat the circuit through the lock mechanism will be made upon operating the circuit-closing device. The combination can readily be changed at any time with great rapidity, it being necessary only to remove the protective plate G, before referred to, and theback plate of the combination-casing- Various modifi-A cations of this construction may be made.,

For instance, it is obvious that by the introduction of `one or more additional notched disks, circuit-controllers, and contacts the number of possible combinations will be greatly increased, and the additionof such additional notched disks, circuit-controllers,

and contacts is contemplated whenever particular security is desired. Furthermore, while I have shown only one lock in connection with the combination mechanism it'is obvious that by the use of the proper circuits a large number of locks can, if desired,be controlled from one combination mechanism. Y It is also to be understood that this invention is n ot limited to the particular form of detent mechanism shown and described as co- IOO IIO

operating with the notched wheel. This form is simple and ellicient; but any suitable form ot' detent mechanism may be used. Furthermore, while a notched or nicked disk or wheel is a very effective form of device for indicating the position of the circuit-controlling devices it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily restricted thereto. The disk might bear forms of indicating devices other than notches.

Various other modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, which is not to be limited to the particular details shown and described.

\Vhat I claim isl. In a combination electric lock, the combination with a lock mechanism and a suitable circuit through which it is operated, of a combination mechanism for controlling the circuit including a disk carrying indicating devices, a suitable member cooperating with the indicating devices of the disk to indicate to the touch both the starting-point of the combination mechanism and each successive position thereof, substantially as described.

2. In a combination electric lock the combination with a lock mechanism and with a suitable circuit through which it is operated, of a combination mechanism for controlling the circuit, the said combination mechanism including a nicked disk and a suitable cooperati ng device for indicating to the touch both the starting-point of the combination mechanism and each successive position thereof, substantially as described.

In a combination electric lock the combination with a lock mechanism and with a suitable circuit through which it is operated, of an alarm-circuit, an alarm in said circuit, a combination mechanism for controlling` said circuits including a nicked disk and a suitable dcvice cooperating therewith to indicate to the touch both the starting-point of the combination mechanism and each successive position thereof, and a circuit-closing device, all substantially as described.

Lt. In a combination electric lock, the combination with a lock mechanism and with a suitable circuit through which it is operated, of a combination mechanism for controlling the circuit, said mechanism including a circuit-controller, suitable contacts cooperating therewith, means for producing a movement of one of these devices with respect to the other, a nicked disk, and a suitable device cooperating with the disk to indicate to the touch both the starting-point of the combination mechanism and each successive position thereof, substantially as described.

5. In a combination elect-ric lock the combination with a lock mechanism and with a suitable circuit through which it is operated, of a combination mechanism for controlling the circuit, the said mechanism including a revoluble circuit-controller and nicked disk, and a suitable device cooperating with the disk to indicate to the touch both the starting-point of the combination mechanisln and cach successive position thereof, all substantially as described.

G. In a combination electric lock, the combination with a lock mechanism and with a suitable circuit through which itis operated, of a combination mechanism for controlling the circuit, the said combination mechanism including a revoluble circuit-controller and nicked disk, one of the nicks being deeper than the others to determine the startingpoint of the combination, and a suitablymounted detent engaging with the nicked disk to determine the position of the combination, all substantially as described.

7. In a combination electric lock the combination with a lock mechanism and alarm mechanism,of suitable circuits through which these mechanisms are operated, a combination mechanism for controlling the circuits, the said combination mechanism including a revoluble circuit-controller and nicked disk, one of the nicks thereof being deeper than the others to determine the starting-point of the combination, a suitably-mounted detent for engaging the nicked disk, and a circuitclosing device, all substantially as described.

S. In a combination electric lock and in combination with the lock mechanism and the circuit for controlling it, a plurality of revoluble cireuit-controllers, a plurality of disks having nicked edges and a suitable device cooperating with each disk to indicate to the touch both the starting-point of the combination mechanism and cach successive position thereof and means for giving the disks a movement corresponding to that of the controllers, all substantially as described.

0. In a combination electric lock and in combination with the lock mechanism, a plurality of revoluble circuit-controllers, a pluralityof disks having nicked edges and a suitable device cooperating with each disk to indicate to the touch both the starting-point of the combination mechanism and each successive position thereof, means for giving the disks a movement corresponding to that of the controllers, an alarm mechanism, suitably-arranged circuits including the boltdrawing mechanism and the alarm mechanism, and a circuit-closing device, all substantially as described.

IO. In a combination electric lock and in combination with the lock mechanism, a plurality of revoluble circuit-controllers, a plurality of disks having nicked edges, one of the nicks being made deeper than the others to indicate the starting-point of the combination, means for giving the disks a movement corresponding to that of the controllers, means cooperating with the nicks to indicate to the operator the amount each controller has been moved and a circuitinchuling the bolt-drawing mechanism, all substantially as described.

l1. In a combination electric lock and in combination with the lock mechanism, a plurality of revoluble circuit-controllers, a plu- IOO IIO

IZO

rality of disks having nicked edges one of the nicks being deeper` than the others to indicate the starting-point of thev combination, means for giving the disks a movement corresponding to that of the controllers, detents engaging the nicks, an alarm mechanism, suitablyarranged circuits including the alarm mechanism and the locking mechanism, and acircuit-closing device, all substantially as described.

12. In a combination electric lock the combination with a movable magnet, connections between it and one of the operative parts of the lock, the connections being so constructed thatwhen the magnet is energized the lock willbe operated and when it is denergized the magnet will lnove without operating the lock, devices for moving the magnet, a.y circuit in which the magnet is included and a combination mechanism for controlling the circuit, substantially as described.

13. In a combination electric lock the combination with a movable magnet, connections between it and one of the operative parts of the lock, the connections being so constructed when the magnet is energized that the lock will be operated and when it is denergized the magnet will move without operating the lock, devices for moving the magnet, a circuit including the magnet, an alarm mechanism, a suitable circuit therefor, a combination mechanism controlling the saidr circuits, and a circuit-closing device, all substantially as described.

14. .In -a combination electric lock the combination with a movable bolt, of a movable magnet, the bolt and lmagnet being so constructed and arranged that when the magnet is energized the bolt will move therewith and when it is denergized the magnet will move without operating the bolt, devices for moving the magnet, and a combination mechanism for making the circuit through the magnet, all substantially as described.

15.- In a combination electric lock the combination with a movable bolt, of a movable magnet, the bolt and magnet being so constructed and arranged that when the magnet is energized the bolt will move with the magnet and when it is denergized the magnet may move without operating the bolt, suit-f able devices for moving the magnet, an alarm mechanism, suitable circuits including the magnet and the alarm mechanism, a combination mechanism controlling said circuits, and a suitable circuit-closing device, all substantially as described.

16. In a circuit-controlling mechanism for electric combination-locks the combination of a spindle, a nicked disk mounted on the spindle, a device coperating with the disk to indicate to the touch the starting-point of the combination and the amount of movement therein,and suitable circuit-controllin g disks, all substantially as described.

17. lIn a circuit-controlling mechanism for electric combination-locks the combination of a spindle, a nicked disk ad j ustably connected to said spindle, a device cooperating with the disk to indicate to the touch the starting-point of the combination mechanism and each successive position thereof, and a suitable circuit-controller also mounted on the spindle, all substantially as described.

1S. In a circuit-controlling mechanism for electric combination-locks the combination of a spindle, an arm mounted on the spindle, a

nicked disk also mounted on the spindle and provided with a device for indicating the starting-point of the combination, a series of holes in the disk, a pin for adjustably connecting the arm and the disk through the medium of one of the holesreferred to and a suitable circuit-controller also mounted on the spindle, all substantially as described.

19. A circuit-controller consisting of a conducting-disk having a hub or boss thereon and a part of its circumference cut away, an insulating-disk mounted on saidboss and having a portion which extends into thecutaway portion ot' the conducting-disk, all substantially as described.

20. A circuit controlling mechanism for electric combination locks consisting of a spindle, a nicked disk mounted on the spindle, one of the nicks being deeper than the others to indicate the starting-point ofthe combination and the said disk being provided Vwith a series of holes one corresponding to wire therein, all substantially as described.

21. In an electric combination lock, the combination with the lock mechanism, of a plurality of circuit-controlling devices, each circuit-controlling device consisting of a spindle carrying a nicked disk adj usta'bly mounted thereon and havinga suitable device for indicating the starting-point of the combination, a device engaging with each disk to indicate the amount each disk has been turned, a circuit-controller also carried on the spindle, contacts engaging the controllers, an alarm mechanism, suitable circuits including the alarm mechanism and the lock mechanism, and a suitable circuit-closing device, all substantially as described. i

22. In a protective device for combinationlocks the combination with one of the plates of the casing of the lock, of a protective plate, insulating mate rial between the plates,a holding device for securing thev` plates together, the said holding device passing through perforations in each and having a reduced `portion, the said reduced port-ion lying in the per- IOO IIO

foration in one of the plates, and the main portion being long enough to span the distance between the plates, insulating material between the holding device and that plate which Surrounds the reduced portion, the two plates being connected to a suitable source of electrical energy, and an alarm in said connections, substantially as described.

il. In a protective device foi-combinationloelcs the combina-tion with one of the plates of the lock-casing, of a protective plate, insulation between the plates, a screw holding the plates togetl1e1,said screw having a tapped portion and a reduced portion, the tapped portion engaging one of the plates and being 

